Civil Court
How Does NYC Small Claims Court Work?
The NYC Small Claims Part hears money disputes up to $10,000 in a simplified, low-cost forum where most parties appear without lawyers. Filing costs $15 for claims under $1,000 and $20 for claims between $1,000 and $10,000. Hearings are informal and conducted in the evening at each borough Civil Court.
About Small Claims Part
The Small Claims Part of the NYC Civil Court hears civil money disputes up to $10,000 between individuals. Cases are filed in person or by mail with the County Clerk in the borough where the defendant lives or works, and most are heard in the evening so working litigants can attend. The procedure is intentionally informal — the rules of evidence are relaxed, parties typically represent themselves, and an Arbitrator (with the parties' consent) or a Judge decides the case the same night.
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